Part 28 (1/2)
”Tip Scammon?”
”Surely,” nodded Darrin. ”He's Ripley's right hand at nasty work, isn't he?”
”I'd hate to think that Fred had a hand in such mean business,”
muttered d.i.c.k, flus.h.i.+ng.
”Don't be simple,” muttered Dave. ”Who wanted to be crack pitcher for the nine? Who pitches to-day, if neither of us can? That would be a mean hint to throw out, if Ripley's past conduct didn't warrant the suspicion.”
Later in the morning there was another phase of the sensation, and Dave came back with it. He was just in time to find d.i.c.k walking out into the little parlor of the flat, Dr. Bentley watching.
”Fine!” cheered Dave. ”How is he, doctor?”
”Doing nicely,” nodded Dr. Bentley.
”But how about the big problem---can he pitch to-day?”
”That's what we're trying to guess,” replied the physician. ”Now, see here, Prescott, you're to sit over there by the window, in the sunlight. During the first hour you will get up once in every five minutes and walk around the room once, then seating yourself again. In the second hour, you'll walk around twice, every five minutes. After that you may move about as much as you like, but don't go out of the room. I think you can, by this gentle exercise, work out all the little stiffness that's left there.”
”And now for my news,” cried Dave, as soon as the medical man had gone. ”Fred Ripley ran into trouble, too.”
”Got hurt, you mean?” asked d.i.c.k quickly.
”Not quite,” went on Darrin, making a face. ”When Fred was going into the house last night he tripped slightly---against a rope that had been stretched across the garden path between two stakes.”
”But Fred wasn't hurt?”
”No; he says he tripped, but he recovered himself.”
”I'm afraid you don't believe that, Dave?”
”I ought to, anyway,” retorted Darrin dryly. ”Fred is showing the rope.”
”A piece of rope is easy enough to get,” mused d.i.c.k.
”Yep; and a lie is easy enough for some fellows to tell. But some of the fellows are inclined to believe Rip, so they've started a yarn that Gardiner High School is up to tricks, and that some fellows have been sent over in advance to cripple our box men for to-day.”
”That's vile!” flushed Prescott indignantly, as he got up to make the circuit of the room. ”The Gardiner fellows have always been good, fair sportsmen. They wouldn't be back of any tricks of that sort.”
”Well, Fred has managed to cover himself, anyway,” returned Dave rather disgustedly. ”He called his father and mother out to see the rope before he cut it away from the stakes. Oh, I guess a good many fellows will believe Ripley's yarn!”
”I'm afraid you don't, Dave;”
”Oh, yes; I'm easy,” grinned Darrin.
”Can you see two young ladies, Richard?” asked Mrs. Prescott, looking into the room.
”Certainly, mother, if I get a chance. My vision is not impaired in the least,” laughed d.i.c.k.
Mrs. Prescott stood aside to admit Laura and Belle, then followed them into the room.